Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the formation of fellows in training in cardiology

Abstract

CoronaVIrus Disease-19 (COVID-19) had a huge impact on human health and economy. However, to this date, the effects of the pandemic on the training of young cardiologists are only partially known. To assess the consequences of the pandemic on the education of the cardiologists in training, we performed a 23-item national survey that has been delivered to 1443 Italian cardiologists in training, registered in the database of the Italian Society of Cardiology (SIC). Six hundred and thirty-three cardiologists in training participated in the survey. Ninety-five percent of the respondents affirmed that the training programme has been somewhat stopped or greatly jeopardized by the pandemic. For 61% of the fellows in training (FITs), the pandemic had a negative effect on their education. Moreover, 59% of the respondents believe that they would not be able to fill the gap gained during that period over the rest of their training. A negative impact on the psycho-physical well being has been reported by 86% of the FITs. The COVID-19 pandemic had an unparalleled impact on the education, formation and mental state of the cardiologists in training. Regulatory agencies, universities and politicians should make a great effort in the organization and reorganization of the teaching programs of the cardiologists of tomorrow.

Impact of COVID-19 on Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Programs: A Quantitative and Qualitative Survey Assessment of Fellowship Program Directors

“…27,28 An added challenge faced by PDs and GME programs during the pandemic is ensuring that the education, research training, and professional development of trainees is not compromised during the pandemic. Similar to other training programs, 22,23 the large majority of HO PDs transitioned their educational conferences to the virtual environment. Overall, HO PDs had mixed opinions regarding the effect of the pandemic on clinical education with the majority of PDs reporting at least a slight negative impact of the pandemic on clinical education.…”

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on heart failure management: Global experience of the OPTIMIZE Heart Failure Care network

“…Cardiologists in training have expressed concerns about the negative impact of the pandemic on their education [ 24 ], and this was also widely reported by OPTIMIZE investigators. Postponement of most elective procedures, reduction in non-emergency outpatient care and limited participation of trainees in procedures may have negatively affected clinical training during the pandemic.…”

Reshaping care in the aftermath of the pandemic. Implications for cardiology health systems

“…It is estimated that students from more than 2400 medical schools worldwide were directly or indirectly affected in the initial months of the pandemic [ 30 , 31 ]. Unlike other sciences, the teaching of medicine is delivered, in a hands-on fashion, during tutorials, in direct contact with patients and in a face-to-face manner.…”

“…On average, it is estimated that more than 95% of cardiology fellows were affected by a substantial change in their training programs [ [31] , [32] , [33] ] causing a significant impact on their training, mainly regarding clinical activities. A suspension of clinical rotations and face-to-face sessions were paralleled by a decrease in the number of procedures fellows needed to develop a particular skill [ [33] , [34] , [35] ].…”

“…Those training in subspecialties such as echocardiography, interventional cardiology and electrophysiology [ 31 ] had difficulties obtaining the number of cases or procedures considered sufficient to achieve competencies, in part because of an environment without full supervision by senior physicians and by the number of patients reduced to the minimum necessary within the hospital [ 36 , 37 ].…”